Another Man's Shoes
by MultiFandomRandomWriter
Summary: Eressëa has left her childhood home to see what the world offers. She's still in the process of healing-both her mind and body. She goes through gain and loss, makes friends and enemies. The world has changed for her, and she knows things will never be the same. Sequel to Strong Enough. Rated T for violence
1. The World Awaits

**Eressëa POV**

The sun starts to set. It makes me wonder if this was a good idea. Of course it is. I hear a rustle in the bushes.

What if it's Orcs?

A rabbit runs out in front of Valinor, spooking her. Valinor started bucking, she wouldn't normally,but the Orcs had scared her a lot.

I try to hold on, but I am thrown. I hit the ground with a thud.

Valinor runs off. So much for riding, oh well she knows the way home.

I take a limp. Not even a step, I just limp. It grows dark but if I want to catch up to Est- Aragorn... I need to keep going. I pull my hood up over my head and limp farther into the woods.

 **Aragorn POV**

It's dark. I don't even know where I'm going. I need to find a camp for the night.

"There! There is a clearing." Ugh, I'm talking to myself again.

I throw a blanket down and then myself down. I guess I'll go to Bree. I fall asleep.

I hear a rustling. If it's that rabbit again I'll kill it. Nothing, it was probably just a rabbit again.

I hear footsteps. This time, it's not a rabbit. The footsteps are uneven, like someone with a limp. I reach for my sword right as a dark cloaked figure comes into the clearing.

I hop to my feet and point my sword at it. I can't see it's- her definitely a her- her face.

"Who are you and what do you want?!" I ask her defiantly. She seems evil, I may just be paranoid though.

"Aragorn." She says coldly. I don't recognize the voice, but she knows my name. "Aragorn." she says once again. That's it, I've had enough. I lunge at her, she dodges.

"Aragorn!" Now she seems annoyed but still cold.

"Unmask yourself, Demon!"

"Ugh." She scoffs and throws back her hood.

This has got to be a dream.

"Eressëa?" Seriously, I'm delusional. She has two legs. I knew I was crazy when I was talking to myself, but this? I've gone completely insane.

"Yes, it's me." She says indignantly. Still cold. "I came to apologize for the way we parted."

Why is she being so cold then? This is all just a dream, any moment I'm going to wake up and it'll just be a weird dream of the night.

"Aragorn. I know what you're thinking, I'm actually here." I stare at her legs pointedly. Man this is a strange dream. "It's wooden. Want me to prove it?" She fumbles with her leg for a while and then pulls it off. There is the stub where it was cut off.

"See? I'm really here and you called me a Demon and tried to kill me." She is not kidding, she is dead serious.

"Sorry, you scared me. What are you doing here?!"

"I came to say sorry." She says while putting the boot/leg back on.

"I'm glad to see you." She just grunts at me.

"I haven't slept yet, I'm going to sleep." She says. "Do you have an extra blanket? Valinor got spooked by a rabbit and ran off again."

I laugh and hand her a blanket.

"I'll have to tell you a story in the morning."


	2. A Very Old Friend

**Eressëa POV**

The Orc with the knife comes closer, I know he will kill me.

I scream.

 **Aragorn POV**

Eressëa screams. I jerk to my feet, sword in hand. I look around for the enemy before I realize- the dream.

"Eressëa? Wake up!" I shake her a bit and have to dodge her as she sits straight up. I feel a slight smile come to my face, she wakes up like I do.

She has a look of pure terror in her eyes. Then... Then, her face hardens, it shows no emotions. She relaxes a bit.

"It's almost dawn. Where do you plan to go?"

"I don't know. Bree I guess."

"Why Bree?" This is scaring me. She doesn't sound like a normal person, she's so cold.

"I don't know... It's a place..."

"You are pathetic." I know... I see something out of the corner of my eye and my hand is immediately on my sword, Eressëa must have seen it to, she pulls her dagger out of it's sheath.

I whip around, ready to defend myself and my sister... I drop my sword. It's an old man, that's all. Eressëa sheaths her dagger again.

He starts to walk over to us. I remember my manners.

"Ah, Grandfather! Come, sit with us and fill yourself." The man sits down next to Eressëa, I don't know how she will handle this. She seems a bit on edge but otherwise, I can't tell. She doesn't show anything. "Here, eat this"

I hand him some bread and he takes it.

"Thank you. Now for introductions. My name is Gandalf. You may have heard of me." Yes, Gandalf, now I remember, he visited Lord Elrond a few times when I was young.

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn." I would not normally give my true name to a stranger, but Gandalf is no stranger. I look at Eressëa, prompting her to introduce herself. She just stares at us with an unrelenting coldness. She is not certain she can trust him. "And this is-"

She glares at me. What am I supposed to do? She's the one being stubborn!

"This is-" This time I it is not Eressëa that interrupts, but Gandalf!

"I know who she is, this is young Eressëa all grown up!" I stare. Eressëa stares. How does he know her?


	3. Gandalf

**Eressëa POV**

Aragorn is looking at me, I guess he wants me to tell this old man my name. I am not going to do it. First of all, I just met him. And secondly, I don't have a name, I am no longer 'Lonely'.

"And this is-" I glare at him, I will not be called lonely anymore, my name is not Eressëa. "This is-"

"I know who she is, this is young Eressëa all grown up!" What? WHat? WHAt? WHAT?! Aragorn and I stare.

"What- how- what?" Aragorn asks, making a fool of himself.

"I have never seen you before." I say. I know I sound very cold, but I don't care.

"This is young Eressëa, but not the same girl I once knew." He says sorrowfully. He's right, I'm not the girl he once knew, I've never seen him until now. "The girl I once knew was a happy, carefree girl, not a woman who had no emotions."

He stares at my scar. I pull my hood up an turn away, I'm not comfortable with his staring. Aragorn has pity in his eyes, I do not want pity.

"Gandalf, why don't we take a walk and you can tell me why you are in these parts."

"I think you shall be the one to tell _me_ why _you_ are in these parts." They walk off into the forest, at least for this, I am relieved.

"We'll be back soon." Aragorn calls to me.

My leg hurts, I sit down. It was like he felt the feelings even I don't feel any more. Like he was looking at the part of me I had locked up. I feel a tear run down my cheek. I brush it away, no more tears. No more tears fall so I stand back up. I should leave before they come back. I don't really have anything but my dagger so I can just go, but something tugs at me, urging me to stay. Probably feelings for Aragorn, I just learned he is my brother. Or maybe curiosity about the old man, how does he know me?

I start to walk off, then I stop and turn around. Then I go again.

" Eressëa?" Aragorn calls right as I make it to the edge of the clearing. I turn.

"Yes?"

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know. Away." I am really harsh. I don't mean to be but that's how it comes out. I hope he knows I don't hate him.

I turn and limp off, I can feel his gaze following me.

"Eressëa," The old man calls in a tired voice. "I hope you don't mean to leave."

"And why not?" So cold, so harsh.

"Because I was hoping to catch up a little with you." I turn around, trying not to limp. I fail and almost fall over.

"I have never seen you before."

"Ah, but you have. You were just a small girl then and may not remember me, though."

"Well then," I say, hoping something clever will come to mind. "You must tell me how you know me and why before I tell you anything about myself now."

"Very well then." He says. "You had better sit down- for it is a long tale."

I sit down, waiting.

"It started many years ago, when your mother learned she was pregnant with Aragorn. Your father asked me if I would look after any and all of his children. I, of course, said I would be happy to. When Aragorn was only two your father was slain by Orcs." At the mention of Orcs I want to panic, to fight, to hide. "Aragorn was just two, but he had a sibling on the way. Your mother fled to Rivendell, where you were born."

I glance at Aragorn, he is also listening.

" _I_ was the one who urged your mother to give you up." Huh, nice words for _abandon_. "For your own safety, the evil forces in this world would have killed you had they known you and Aragorn were alive. Which is why Aragorn was called Estel, he was the hope for the Dunadain."

"He was the hope... and I was just lonely." I say. Gandalf sighs.

"I know not who named you, it was certainly a mistake, for you were never truly lonely. You always had Aragorn and Gilraen, even if they could not tell you of your true heritage. Even Aragorn did not know of that until recently. And I was around, I looked after you when I could."

"And _that_ is the long story?" I ask, coldly but incredulously.

"Eressëa, what has become of you? You used to be such a happy girl." His words sting, I trace my scar. "You can tell me anything."

"You are new to me. I do not think I can." My voice is even more emotionless then it normally is.

He gives me a sad look. "If ever you want to talk about it, I'm always here. I must be off, there are some Dwarves that I have been accompanying, that may need my help. Farewell!"

And with that he just wanders off. This has been a very strange... morning? Night? The sun is just about to rise, in the distance I hear Gandalf yelling, his words are just intelligible:

"The dawn will take you all!" I wonder what that's all about. I turn to Aragorn.

"And what did you know of this?"

"Nothing, I promise, he only told me a little of it when we went for our walk." I snort, I am not sure if he is lying or not.

"I am leaving." I say, "But first tell me the story you were going to tell me in the morning."


	4. Who Did You Tell?

**Estel POV**

I finished telling about the bunnies. I thought for sure that would get her to smile, but; nothing. I have not seen her smile since we rescued her from the Orcs...

"Estel," I guess if you call someone one name it is hard to call them another later. "I am going now."

Sigh, back to talking to myself.

"Are you sure you want to go?"

"Yes, I..." She pauses, is she unsure? "I should..."

"Would you like to travel with me to Bree?"

"I-... no, I fear you must continue on your own, as I plan to head the other way."

"Farewell then." I say, trying not to sound disappointed.

"Goodbye." She nods her head and then limps off, I can't help but wonder that she is walking, and so soon.

I wonder how long it will be until I start talking to myself again... maybe I should sing... that could help... or maybe then I am just singing to myself... is that any better?

I start humming the tune to the lay of Beren and Luthien... it makes me think of Arwen... will I ever see her again? Where was I going again?

"Bree." I answer myself.. out loud.. already?

"I am already talking to myself, great." sigh...

"But... _why_ am I going to Bree?" Why... "Because you-I-whoever- have no better place to go."

Oh, that's why... I need to get to Bree before I go insane... I think I already _have_ gone insane... what was I thinking about anyways? Oh, Bree, right... or am I insane?

 **Eressëa POV**

I guess first I will head towards where I heard yelling and see what was going on there. The sun lights the path, I pull my hood up lest anybody sees my scar.

Trolls! There are trolls! I dart behind a tree, daring to peek out from behind.

They are stone, of course they are, the sun is up, that is what Gandalf was yelling about.

I hear some noises not far, echoing, as if in a cave or wide open place. Should I head towards the noise and risk a bunch of people seeing my scar and staring, or do I just head the other direction? I am confused, I don't know what to do, a wave of dizziness hits me, I lean against the tree I had been hiding behind.

My head swims, I sink to the ground. The dizziness passes, but I sit there for a moment more. If I want to get to the voices before they leave then I should go. I guess I will find who Gandalf has been traveling with. He said Dwarves, and judging by the voices, there are many, but how many?

I stand. I take a step, my limp is large, and my leg hurts. That won't stop me, I have felt worse.

Shoulders back, I take a deep breath and move on towards the noise. The voices become clearer;

"These were forged in Gondolin by the High Elves of the First Age." Gandalf says. Swords, by the sound of clinking. "You could not wish for a finer blade."

Swords, for certain.

I come closer, I can see the cave and five Dwarves.

"We are making a long term deposit." Says one of them as they bury a chest.

I can see more Dwarves now, and Gandalf and... a Halfling? What is a Halfling doing in these parts?

"Something's coming!" Says a rather majestic Dwarf. He must have seen me.

I hear branches snap.

"Stay together! Hurry now! Arm yourselves!" Gandalf says, maybe not me, I duck down in some tall grass; not an easy feat with a wooden leg.

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" A man- a wizard by the looks- rides up on a sleigh and.. hmm.. almost enough to make even me smile, rabbits.

"Radagast! Radagast the brown. Ah. What on earth are you doing here?" Gandalf asks.

"I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong." Radagast. . .

"Yes?" Gandalf asks expectantly.

"Oh, just give me a minute. Um, oh, I had a thought, and now I've lost it. It was, it was there, on the tip of my tongue. Oh, no it isn't the thought at all; it's a silly old.." Gandalf pulls a bug off of his tongue. "..stick insect!"

Thirteen. Thirteen Dwarves and one Halfling, this is strange indeed. Gandalf and Radagast walk a few steps away from the Dwarves and Halfling. And a few steps closer to me.

"The Greenwood is sick, Gandalf. A darkness has fallen over it. Nothing grows anymore, at least nothing good. The air is foul with decay. But the worst are the webs." I can hear them clearly, but they will also be able to hear me, I sit as quietly as I can.

"Webs? What do you mean?" Gandalf is concerned.

"Spiders, Gandalf. Giant ones. Some kind of spawn of Ungoliant, or I am not a Wizard. I followed their trail. They came from Dol Guldur."

"Dol Guldur? But the old fortress is abandoned."

"No, Gandalf, it is not." Spiders? Dol Guldur? The brown Wizard seems to faze out for a moment. "A dark power dwells there, such as I have never felt before. It is the shadow of an ancient horror. One that can summon the spirits of the dead. I saw him, Gandalf. Out of the darkness, the Necromancer has come." He comes out of his faze. "I'm sorry."

"Try a bit of old Toby. It'll help settle your nerves." He hands the other Wizard his pipe. Radagast breathed in, his eyes crossing for a moment. "and out."

Radagast blows the smoke out. I hate the smell of it, even the smoke of a pipe reminds me of the Orc halls. I shudder.

"Now, the Necromancer. Are you sure?"

Radagast pulls out a cloth wrapped package and hands it to Gandalf. He unties it pulls a sword out, a dark, evil sword.

"That is not from the world of the living." Radagast says. I hear a howl in the distance.

"Was that a wolf? Are there- are there wolves out there?" The Halfling asks.

"Wolves? No, that is not a wolf." Says a Dwarf in a brown hat.

A Warg lands in the middle of the Dwarves, knocking several over. The majestic one- Thorin I have learned- kills it with his sword. Another appears and is shot by a dwarf lacking a beard.

I am scared stiff. I can't even move.

"Warg scouts! Which means an Orc pack is not far behind!" Thorin says.

"Orc pack?!" The Halfling yells.

I hear myself screech. I try to stop, I just gave my hiding spot away and made myself more vulnerable to attacks. I can't stop, I become dizzy again.

"Eressëa! What are you doing here!?" Gandalf yells.

I continue to scream.

"Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?" Gandalf yells at Thorin over my screaming.

"No one."He replies

"Who did you tell?"

"No one, I swear. What in Durin's name is going on?" Thorin asks, glancing at me then killing a Warg that comes up next to him.

I stop screaming, I feel my face return to it's normal, hard self. I am so dizzy, the world spins.

Falling, Drowning, Burning. I pass into unconsciousness.


	5. Beautiful

p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"strong span style="color: #000000;" span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Kili POV/span/span/span/strong/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"br / /p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"The girl is screaming, how long has she been there?/span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Who did you tell?" Gandalf is yelling, Wargs are everywhere, it is chaos./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"No one, I swear. What in Durin's name is going on?" Uncle Thorin shouts. The girl stops screaming and seems to remember she needs air, takes a deep breath in, and... passes out./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"You are being hunted."/span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"We have to get out of here." Dwalin says./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"We can't! The ponies bolted!" Ori replies. So great, we are trapped./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"I'll draw them off." The brown wizard says./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"These are Gundabad Wargs, they will out run you." Gandalf says, whatever, but if we don't do something soon we shall all be eaten./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"These are Rhosgobel rabbits, I'd like to see them try." The brown Wizard hops on his sleigh and Gandalf picks the girl up./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify" /p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"strong span style="color: #000000;" span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Eressëa POV/span/span/span/strong/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"I am jostled. I think I fell asleep. Someone is carrying me... I can't tell who, I can't open my eyes./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"br / /p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"The Orc with the knife comes closer. I know he will kill me. I scream./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify" /p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"strong span style="color: #000000;" span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Kili POV/span/span/span/strong/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"The girl starts screaming again, giving our place in a cave under a rock away. A dead Orc rolls down the steep hill into the cave./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Eressëa. Shh!" Gandalf says harshly. She quiets down./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;" span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Uncle Thorin pulls an arrow out of the Orcs body and examines it."Elves" He says. There is a pathway, going out from the back./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"I cannot see where the path leads. Do we follow it or no?" Dwalin asks./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Follow it, of course!" Bofur answers./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"I think that would be wise." Gandalf says, still carrying the girl./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Set me down, I can walk." She says. Gandalf sets her down. She pulls her hood over her head immediately, blocking my view of her face./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"We walk down the path. The girl has a limp, she looks almost evil, she is wearing all black. I hope she doesn't attack us. I guess I could at least learn what she will tell me about herself./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Hello." I say./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Hello." She says, very coldly. Her face is shaded by her hood. "Kili."/span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"H-how do- do you know my name?" A spy, maybe?/span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Thorin was talking to you earlier, I simply observed." Why is she so harsh? The wind blows and her hood falls off of her head. She attempts to turn away before I see. Too late, I already saw. She has a scar running across her face from her eyebrow to her cheek. She pulls her hood up quickly./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"What happened?" I ask, hoping I don't sound rude./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Nothing, it's none of your business. " She says, without any emotion./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Sorry. Why were you screaming earlier?" I am probably being nosy, but I don't trust her./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"I- I was... I was scared-" Her voice falters, the first hint of any emotion I have heard. "I was scared of- of the- I was scared of the Orcs." Now she sounds terrified, in a cold, harsh way./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Is that what happened?" I ask looking down at her feet and then back up, trying to see her face./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"She looks at me, I can see her face now, it is an ugly scar, very large. She gives me a look that tells me I am correct. She turns away again, the shadow across her face so I can't see it anymore. I am sorry I doubted her, she is just a scared girl who has been wounded deeply. I give her a moment to compose herself before asking:/span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"You seem to know my name, so what is yours?"/span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"I do not have one." She says./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"How can you not have a name?" I ask, surely she has a name and just doesn't want me to know./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"I used to have one, but no longer."/span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Gandalf called you something. What is it? May I call you that?" Just what was it he said?/span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"I-" She stops, and starts again. "Eressëa, it means lonely. I am no longer lonely."/span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in;" align="justify"span style="font-variant: normal;"span style="color: #000000;"span style="letter-spacing: normal;""/span/span/spanspan style="font-variant: normal;"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"span style="letter-spacing: normal;"span style="font-style: normal;"span style="font-weight: normal;"Then what shall I call you?" She gives no answer. "/span/span/span/span/span/span/spanspan style="font-variant: normal;"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"span style="letter-spacing: normal;"span style="font-style: normal;"span style="font-weight: normal;"Ásta/span/span/span/span/span/span/span, span style="font-variant: normal;"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"span style="letter-spacing: normal;"span style="font-style: normal;"span style="font-weight: normal;"I shall call you /span/span/span/span/span/span/spanspan style="font-variant: normal;"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"span style="letter-spacing: normal;"span style="font-style: normal;"span style="font-weight: normal;"Ásta/span/span/span/span/span/span/spanspan style="font-variant: normal;"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"span style="letter-spacing: normal;"span style="font-style: normal;"span style="font-weight: normal;""/span/span/span/span/span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"What does it mean?" She asks, at least she is giving it a chance./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Beautiful." I answer./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"I am not beautiful." She says and bows her head./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Of course you are, in your own way."/span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"Thank you, Kili. No one has ever told me that before." She says./span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in;" align="justify"span style="font-variant: normal;"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"span style="letter-spacing: normal;"span style="font-style: normal;"span style="font-weight: normal;"I /span/span/span/span/span/span/spanspan style="font-variant: normal;"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: small;"span style="letter-spacing: normal;"span style="font-style: normal;"span style="font-weight: normal;"smile at her. "I am certain I won't be the last."/span/span/span/span/span/span/span/p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in;" align="justify" /p  
p style="margin-top: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;" align="justify" /p 


	6. Evil

**Eressëa POV**

I have made a fool of myself. I can't believe I did that in front of strangers and then proceeded to talk to a Dwarf.

He thinks me a child, I am sure, I seemed so vulnerable.

"The Valley of Imladris. In the common tongue it is known by another name." Gandalf says. I went in a circle. Great. I just got away from here to start a new life and I end up coming back.

"Rivendell." the Halfling... Bilbo I think.

"This was your plan all along, to seek refuge with our enemy." The majestic one -Thorin- says.

"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill-will you will find here is that which you bring yourself." Gandalf tells him.

"You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us." Thorin seems to like to argue.

"Of course they will. But we have questions that need to be answered. If we are to be successful. This will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me." Oh, Gandalf, I may not have known you for very long, but this is just typical of you.

We walk across the very bridge I departed from just yesterday. The Halfling just stares in awe, I guess it is beautiful... The Dwarves seem uneasy, probably the Elves...

The bridge... I had promised myself I would never go across it again, so much for that...

"Mithrandir." Lindir walks down the stairs closest to the bridge, the main ones.

"Lindir!" Gandalf says... Mithrandir? I have heard of him before then, I guess.

"Stay sharp." Thorin says. Dwarves are very anti trusting. Lindir looks at me, I guess he might recognize me, a little. Not like anyone ever really knew me... I pull my hood up.

"Lastannem i athranedh i Vruinen" He says, which I immediately translate to 'we heard you had crossed into the valley.'

"I must speak with the Lord Elrond" Gandalf says.

"My Lord Elrond is not here." Lindir says. Where could he have gone?

"Not here? Where is he?" Gandalf asks. My thoughts exactly. I hear horns, and armed Elves upon horses ride across the bridge.

"Ifridi bekar!" Thorin shouts, whatever that means. "Hold ranks!" They think we mean to attack them. The Dwarves all bunch togethor, and the Elves ride in circles around them. It makes me dizzy, I am going to fall over. They stop, good. Elrond leads his horse out of the circle.

"Gandalf." Lord Elrond says.

"Lord Elrond. Mellonen! Mo evinedh?" My friend, where have you been? Yes, Gandalf, you are just asking all the right questions at the moment.

"Farannem 'lamhoth i udul o charad. Dagannem rim na lant Vedui." 'We have been hunting a pack of Orcs that came up from the south. We slew a number near the Hidden Pass.' He dismounts and hugs Gandalf. "Strange for them to come so close to our borders. Something, -or someone- has drawn them near."

Gandalf pulls out an Orc sword. I feel shivers run down my back.

"Ah, that may have been us." He says.

Thorin steps forward, Elrond seems to recognize him. "Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain." he says.

"I do not believe we've met." Thorin replies. I can't be here, if my mother sees me I'll never get out again! I don't stick around for the rest of the conversation, though I can feel Elrond's gaze following me as I limp across the bridge. I was a fool to ever go back, it is in my past, no longer part of my life.

Here I go again, I never thought I would be crossing the bridge again, but here I am. I glance over the edge, thinking that if I were to trip- no, I shall not think of that. I hurry on. Once my feet hit the other side I feel much safer, weird, because I have never felt that crossing the bridge was dangerous before. I give one last glance back and see the Dwarves walking into Lord Elrond's halls, something I was never invited to, and yet, _Dwarves_ are. Kili looks back, sees me, and waves. Huh, he's to friendly for his own good. Someday he is going to die because of his friendliness. I turn and head for the woods once again. I have done this before. Why am I leaving again? Oh, right, a new life.

I have to stop and rest, my leg- what's left of it- hurts enough to drive a wild boar insane... or a rabbit... speaking of which, one hops out from behind a tree. It comes and sniffs my foot, very curious. I move a bit and it scampers off, not so brave and curious now, eh? I rest for a bit longer then I am off again, will I live like this forever? Going in circles, go, stop, go, stop. I don't have anywhere to go. I could wander... wander for the rest of my life... No home, never knowing where my next meal will come from, and Orcs... The very thought nearly sends me panicking. I need to get a hold of myself, there are no Orcs around, I'm still close to Imladris.

Just calm down, just calm down.

The sun is setting, great, I just _love_ the dark... I climb into a little crevice made by some trees and an overhanging of dirt and vines. How did it become dark so quickly? I thought I just left? Sleep. But how did- sleep. Like something is whispering to me, sleep. I blink slowly. I blink again, and again, then, I close my eyes, a last fluttering thought of someone whispering 'sleep'.


	7. Wanderer

**Eressëa POV**

I wander. An aimless path, distractions are everywhere. The battle of good and evil always following, always there, in the back of my head. I come to valleys, to mountains, to great stretches of flatland. Days pass, nights pass, I don't know how many, I just follow my feet, hoping to get somewhere, anywhere. But anywhere is nowhere, nowhere, everywhere, where? _Where?_ There? There. I just walk, not heeding tree, nor bush, nor mud, nor any other landscape.

A shadow falls upon my mind; 'sleep'. I shake my head, trying to clear the thoughts. 'sleep'.

"No!" I shout.

"Sssssleeeeep." It whispers, my thoughts won't come into a way that makes sense.

"No! No!" Things start going black, I am so dizzy. The voice laughs. I start to fall. I can see the Orcs, everywhere, fire, I don't know which way is up.

"No! Help! No! No! Help me!" The evil laughs again, the horror of it drives me to the edge of sanity. "No! Stop! No!"

"Hello?" A voice cuts into the thoughts.

"No! Stop!" I continue to yell, the evil has stopped laughing, aware of the voice that cut into the torture.

"Hello?" The voice says again. I fall to my knees, jerking around violently. "Hello? Are you alright?"

I feel a hand on my shoulder. The fires die, the Orcs leave. I stop jerking around, I am in control now. I breath heavily for a while, before opening my eyes to see an Elf. I keep my head down so he won't see my scar.

"Are- are you alright?" He asks again.

"Y- Yes, thanks to you. I am alright now." I chance a glance at him, just to see who I am dealing with. He has brown hair and brown eyes full of concern. I duck my head again.

"You can look at me, I won't hurt you." He says, ducking down to see my face. I may as well be straightforward with this. I lift my head and stare straight into his eyes, composing myself enough to make myself semi-emotionless.

He is taken aback. He stares for a moment at the puckered skin before averting his gaze.

"I..." He stops, changing his mind. "What happened? Why were you yelling for help?" He asks. It must seem like an innocent question to him, but it brings terror to me. I drop my head and stare at the ground, shaking. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring any bad memories back."

I take a deep breath. I look back up at him. He smiles. How trusting he is. I would estimate him to be just a couple hundred years old, very young for an Elf.

"I'm Ainion." He says. Ainion? That means Angel... "And you are...?"

"You may call me Wander." I say, making something up on the spot.

"Surely that isn't your true name?" He asks.

"No, nor will you learn of it." I reply.

"Where are you going?" He asks.

"I don't know. That is why I am The Wanderer." I say.

"Why don't you come to my village, 'Wander'? My family can give you a meal and a place to stay tonight."


	8. A Dark Omen

**Eressëa POV**

What should I do? I am not sure I trust this Elf, but I am hungry and long for a place out of the cold tonight. He doesn't yet know of my limp, he doesn't know how vulnerable I am. I guess I'll go with him, but at the first sign of any trouble I am gone!

"Alright, but just for a short time." I say, trying to get my voice back to a cold tone, anything is better then the quaking.

He smiles. "Good. Come on, it's this way. Now don't 'Wander' off." He chuckles at his very cheesy, unfunny joke and then starts off south. I follow closely.

He notices my limp. He looks at the ground then at me. He opens his mouth as if to say something, closes it, and then opens it again. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I say, the coldness has crept back into my voice. He looks kinda taken aback. We continue on in silence. Ahead I see a small village, the houses are made of very large leaves on wooden frames. Ainion singles out on one house in particular.

"Ma! I'm home!" He calls, opening a wooden door and walking in. "And I brought a guest!"

"Ainion, don't shout." An elleth even younger then Ainion says.

"That's my sister, Thanguriel." He says, nodding to the girl. An older elleth, whom I assume to be his mother, comes out of a door on our right.

"Ainion! Couldn't you give me warning before you bring a guest?"

"Sorry..." he looks kinda sheepish. "This is Wander."

"I'm Saëleth." She says. "Pleased to meet you."

"I've been expecting you." Thanguriel says. How could she have been expecting me? _I_ wasn't even expecting me!

Ainion says something to her in a language I don't understand. Though it must be some form of Elvish as a couple of the words are familiar. Thanguriel replies in the same language. Saëleth raises an eyebrow at them. I don't like this. I have no way of telling if they are plotting something against me or just chatting about their day.

I back towards the door slowly, but Ainion notices me.

"Wander? Don't go. It's all right, my sister has the gift of foresight, that's why she knew you were coming. She of course didn't share any of this information with me or my mother." His words make me even more nervous. Thanguriel could know all about my future by now. "My father will be coming home soon, at least that's what Thanguriel tells us. I would love for you to meet him."

"Speaking of which, I should get some food started." Saëleth says.

"Will you stay?" Ainion asks.

"I don't know. Ask Thanguriel. Shall I be staying?" I say, coldly, mockingly. I shouldn't be rude to perfect strangers... no, I should be rude especially to perfect strangers.

"I can not say. It is your choice." She says.

"I wish you would." Ainion says pleadingly.

"I will stay for a short time." I say. Ainion gives me an silly grin. Saëleth's eyes dance. She makes me feel secure somehow. Maybe it's that she didn't say anything about my scar, or my limp, or my name... she just wants me to feel at home. Home... I think of my little shack, nobody thought much of it, but it was home. The shack with the green door is what I overheard others calling it, among some other _not-so-nice_ things. I always wanted to correct them, it is an emerald green door, not just green.

"Wander?" Huh? Oh, that's me, right. "Where were you?" Ainion asks teasingly.

"That is none of your concern, Ainion." Saëleth scolds him.

"Sorry." Ainion says, though not very apologetically. Saëleth walks through the doorway she entered in muttering something about 'food'.

"Ainion, please go draw some water from the well." Thanguriel says.

"Why should I?" Ainion argues.

"Ainion! Go draw some water from the well!" Saëleth calls.

"That's why." Thanguriel says smugly. Ainion sighs and walks out the front door. "Wander, dark deeds lie ahead. Evil pursues you. You will find no happiness for a while. But also... love, you love somebody... You know, Ainion is sweet on you." Thanguriel says, it is unnerving. My mind tells me to take flight, to run as fast and as far as I can. But her voice captivates me. Her eyes are clouded, and yet, clear as clean water. "Sometime in the future the evil that hunts you will catch up to you, and only three people can save you. If they do not come to your aid you shall lose to the darkness."

She stops, focuses on me, and acts like nothing happened. I shiver, I am terrified. Who are the three people? Ainion walks in carrying a bucket of water, the light shimmering on it reminds me of Thanguriel's eyes. I need to sit down, sit down or fall down. Ainion notices my shaking and puts the bucket down quickly.

"Wander? Are you all right?" He starts towards me, but even he seems to be an instrument of evil. I shrink back in fear. Ainion is infuriated. "Thanguriel! What did you tell her?"

"The truth." She replies simply.

"Thanguriel." He says in a warning tone. I feel shaking like a earthquake, but it isn't an earthquake, it is just me.

"A warning of evil to come." She says. It's too much, I flee, rushing past Ainion and Thanguriel, kicking over the bucket of water, and through the village to the woods.


	9. Running

**Eressëa POV**

"Wander!" Ainion yells after me. I keep running. I hear footsteps behind me, probably not hard to keep up with the girl with a limp.

"Wander!" He shouts again. I don't stop. I can't hear his footsteps anymore. He must have turned back. I run for a little while later, then slow to a walk. I walk for a while, aware of every noise. A branch cracks. I am off agai- oof! I smash into something.. or... someone...

"Wander." Sigh. Ainion. "I caught up with you."

Well... this is awkward... it's something you see happen to other people, but you never expect to run into somebody and be on top of them. I start to pick myself up, Ainion pulls me back down.

"No. You aren't going anywhere." The Orcs... They said that. 'you're not going anywhere'. I almost shriek in fear, but then I harden myself. "Not until we talk"

"We can talk standing like normal people." I say, as a command, not a question.

"If you promise not to run the moment we stand up." He says.

"Fine." I say. My cold tone may have offended him, but it is the only thing I can do to keep my fear controlled. To harden myself, until I feel no emotions at all. I get up and wait for him to also pick himself off of the ground. He gets up and stares. At my scar, I am certain. The ugly reminder will always be there, scaring children and striking fear in the hearts of many. I pull my hood up.

"What did Thanguriel tell you?" A wild terror is struck within me, then I harden myself once again.

"What concern is it to you?" I ask... kinda, not much of a question, more of a statement that it isn't of his concern.

"I just want to help." What were Thanguriel's words? Something about a love... And... oh no... please no... I look at Ainion and see that look I have seen on so many. Even myself once. How could I have been so blind? I am stupid! How do I tell him that I'm not... that I don't.. oh dear... "Wander?"

Oh, yes, I got lost in thought. "I don't need any help." The wind blows and my hood falls down. Ainion's eyes open wide, struck by a fearful love. I pull my hood back on as quickly as I can.

"Why won't you tell me what happened?" He asks. I can almost feel the Orc's whips. "Please."

"It is none of your business." I say.

"Please, just tell me."

"No." I say firmly and try to walk around him. He blocks my path and grabs my arm.

"You aren't leaving until you tell me." He says. Memories flash through my mind, a wave of dizziness comes upon me. Oh no, not again. I stumble a bit, but Ainion steadies me.

"Are you okay?" He asks. No, I am very much not okay. He looks around, like he heard something. I didn't hear anything, but I am not an Elf. "Would now be a good time to mention that this isn't the best-guarded place?"

"What?!" An Orc jumps out from behind a tree.

"Run!" Ainion shouts, and pulls me along. Several more Orcs follow us. I trip after Ainion as quickly as I can. Ainion goes jumping over a log, without giving me warning. I smash into it. I hear something crack, very loudly. No pain. Well, no pain except that on my one good leg's shin from smashing into the log. Ainion pulls me up and keep running. I take a running step and fall. No! I glance at my left.. boot. It is in a very... uh... the wood broke when I ran into that log. A glance behind us, several Orcs are running towards us. One has a knife. My eyes widen. I scream.

The Orcs get closer.

Ainion throws his hand over my mouth.

"Shh! Come on!"

"I- I can't walk!" Admitting it hurts. I can't walk again. My freedom has flown out the window and Orcs are coming to kill me. So this is how it ends.

"Then I'll have to carry you." Ainion swoops me up, bridal-style. I am too shocked to say anything, too terrified to care. Ainion runs.


	10. The Truth

**Eressëa POV**

Ainion runs, dodging trees. How is he doing that? I take a glance behind us, the Orcs a little farther than they were before, but still in tow. He continues to run... and run... and run... Suddenly I feel a swoop of air and the next thing I know we are in a cave made by a small overhanging of dirt and vines. About thirty seconds later several Orcs run past the little outcropping. We both start to relax. The vines move, Orc blood is very suddenly splattered on me. I glance at Ainion, he is holding a knife covered in black blood. He is really jumpy. I realize I must be as well. I try to calm myself, to harden. I close my eyes for a few seconds and then open. The Orc blood is still there. As well as the fear, but not the emotion, not the reaction. We sit there tensely for a few minutes.

"Are- Are you alright?" Ainion asks. His voice is so shaky.

"Yes." I say, trying to show no emotion, but a quaver sneaks it's way in. He looks at my left... boot... sigh... There go the days of my freedom, once again taken by Orcs.

"Let me see." He says, gesturing to the boot that is twisted into a very unnatural looking shape.

"No," I say. "... thank you for saving my life."

"Yeah... don't mention it. Now let me see, it's got to hurt an awful lot." Ha. Actually, it doesn't. I scoot away from him. He scoots closer. I would scoot even farther away but there isn't room. He takes my left leg-boot gently. He is being much to forward. I am really uncomfortable about this. He removes the boot. I wait for it... he gasps. "You- you-"

"Yes, I only have one leg, I know." I say curtly.

"How did it happen?" He asks. The scars burn, I throw my hood up. "Please?"

"It was at the same time I got this." I say, tracing the scar on my face that shall never fade.

"And when was that?" He asks. I hesitate.

" _tell him."_ Irmo? In the day? While I'm awake? _"Go on, he's safe, you can trust him."_

"I- A short time ago, just about a month and a half, I was captured by Orcs." The memories start to flood in. "They took me to a dark place in the misty mountains, and they beat me, they tortured me, all for their own enjoyment. Many dark days and nights I spent there. One day-" I shudder, the memory will always be there. "One day the same Orc that gave me this gruesome scar that frightens children cut off my leg. Estel, my brother, saved me and a couple other Eleths and women. Two died, and I was very close for a while. My mother made this for me." I say, motioning to the boot filled with twisted, broken wood.

Ainion just sits there, speechless. He finally gathers himself enough to say "I'm sorry."

The pain starts to take over.

 _Ssssssssllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep... sleeeep._ I am dizzy. No!


	11. Saving

**Ainion POV**

Eressëa grabs my arm. She looks like she is going to faint.

"Are you alright?" I ask her. She's so amazing...

"I- I'm..." She says rather breathlessly. An internal battle is obviously going on, but I have no idea how to help. Maybe Thanguriel is right, I am slow and stupid.

"Wander? What's going on?" I ask, sounding very heroic.

 **Eressëa POV**

"Wander? What's going on?" Ainion sounds rather panicked. I try to answer.

"Ah! Oh." Only moaning sounds and random noises come out.

 **Ainion POV**

She just moans. I shake her a little bit.

"Wander?!" Now I'm getting a little freaked out. Her eyes cloud over, she is unresponsive. "Wander!"

Still nothing. At least she's still breathing. Her head sags.

"Wander!" I shout. She writhes, she seems to be choking. Then it stops. She stops. And worst of all: her breathing stops. "Wander!" I scream. She doesn't reply, doesn't even twitch, there are no signs that she is even still alive. I have to get help!

I pick her up. "Oh, please don't be dead!"

 **Thanguriel POV**

I gasp and sit upright, my peaceful nap interrupted.

"Thanguriel, what is it?" My mother asks.

"Ainion. Oh mother, I just had the most awful vision!"

"Tell me all about it."

 **Ainion POV**

"Wander, just hang in there, it'll be okay." I hurry home as quickly as I can. Wander still shows no signs of life, oh, please don't be dead!

I can see the village in the distance, but it is very small, and I'm not out of the woods yet.

 _Zing!_ _Thunk!_ An arrow embeds itself into a tree on my right. I chance a look behind me. Orcs. I thought we had lost them. I hate these woods, and I hate these Orcs! An arrow flies by my head, I feel a warm, sticky liquid trickle down my cheek, my ear stings. _Zing!_ Another one flies closely on my left.

"It's okay, Wander, I'll get you to safety." I say to her. I look down into her eyes which are still clouded over. A deep dread grabs at my throat, she is dead.

No, I must push these thoughts out, she's going to be fine. She is going to be fine... Another arrow zings by. I keep running. The village is coming closer, it's easier to see through the trees now. If I can just make it to the-

 **Thanguriel POV**

My mother and I cry together.

"Are you sure? Is there nothing that can stop this?" She asks through her tears.

"Yes, I'm sure, there's nothing we can do except be there for him when-" My voice cracks, I can't bring myself to say it.

"Then we must be there."


	12. Ainion

Ainion POV

Time slows. I don't breath, I _can't_ breath. It's like someone is pushing down on my chest, but finally, I get a breath in. I cough. Time returns to it's normal speed. I stumble, a sharp pain in my side. I glance to see an arrow, stuck there... in my side. That explains why I can't breath. I need to give up. Then...

I look at Wander, I remember why I'm here. I need to stay strong, for her. I struggle on. The still follow, arrows still fly, but none of it matters, I just need to get Wander to safety.

It seems no matter how far I run the village just doesn't get any closer. I trip and stumble, I gasp for air. The only thing keeping me going is helping Wander. I love her, I really do, and if the last thing I do is saving her, then I have lived my life well.

Finally, I'm just a few feet outside of the village. I can do it... most of the Orcs turn around, shooting a last couple arrows in my direction before turning around. They don't want to mess with a bunch of mad Elves.

I reach the outermost houses and collapse, I just can't do it anymore.

"Wander." I whisper and brush a hair out of her face. "Come back... Come back." I say breathlessly. I look for any signs of life, I can't find any, I'm to late.

No, wait, she's breathing! She's breathing. "Wander. Oh, Wander. You're safe. We're safe."

She blinks! No, wait, it might have just been wishful thinking. I struggle for air, somebody tell the Oliphaunt to get off my chest! I lie down on my back. I need to rest for a little, then I'll get us into the village the rest of the way. . .

Wander screams. "Wander!" I whisper-shout, I would shout, but I can't get enough air in. She blinks her eyes rapidly.

"Ainion." She says. I smile.

"You're back." It becomes even harder to breath. She also breaths heavily, then her eyes start to cloud over again. "Wander! No! Talk to me, tell me something!"

Her eyes return to normal as she gasps out "Thank you."

"You're welcome... Tell me something about yourself." I have to keep her talking, she'll slip if I don't.

"You're hurt." No, I thought I was climbing trees! "You- You saved my life..."

"Tell me your real name." It might get her thinking and I'm curious.

"E- Eressëa." Eressëa. I like that. "But that is not my true name, I do not have a true name."

"I-" I gasp I need to get air, pain shoots through my body. "I love you, Eressëa."

I try to say something else, but I can't I can't breath. The pain is to great. Wander... no, Eressëa doesn't give any reply.

My world starts to fade into darkness, but I hear Thanguriel.

"Ainion! Ainion!" I feel her hand on my face. I see my mother. Everything is blurry, I can't even breath.


	13. Not Your Fault

Thanguriel POV

"Ainion." I hold his head in my lap and stroke some hair out of his face.

"I love you." He says, then coughs.

"I love you too!" This can't be it. Please, no. He coughs again, a moment of pure pain shows in his face, then it is peaceful. I hold his hand. My mother reaches her hand down, and I look into his eyes for the last time. My mother closes his eyes. I cry, I knew it was going to happen, but even knowing couldn't have prepared me. At least we were with him when...

"Oh! Ainion! Why?!" I lay my head down on his chest, no longer is there the sound of his heart beating, no longer the rise and fall of his breath. My mother puts her arms around us... around me...

We both just sit here, crying. Oh, why? Why Ainion? Why my brother? I'll never hear the sound of his voice again, I'll never feel his arms around me.

"It's all my fault."

"What? Of course it's not your fault. Thanguriel, you were the one who let us be here when he went."

"Yes, but I was also the one who told him to go into the woods anyways. If I hadn't, it would be _her_ dead instead of Ainion."

"It's not your fault.." She murmurs and pulls me into a hug. "It's not your fault."


	14. Life

Saëleth POV

Ainion. My son, my only son, is ... _dead_. I feel tears, my own mixed with Thanguriel's. We just hug. I stare at my son's lifeless body, at the arrow that pierces it, most likely the tip poisoned. I brush his hair out of his face, the same thing I've been doing since the day he was born, but it's different now. My gaze shifts from Ainion to the girl, Wander, Ainion told me she calls herself... one of the last things he ever said to me...

"I wish she was dead." Thanguriel says bitterly. I almost feel that Thanguriel is right, that she should be dead and not him.

"You may get your wish." Her eyes stare vacantly up into the sky, her face pale. Thanguriel looks over at her and her face also pales.

"I- I- I didn't actually mean it, I just-"

"I know, let's just get them back to the house, if she isn't already gone maybe we can save her. Come, let us not let Ainion die in vain." Together we carry them back to the house, Ainion first, then Wander. A faint breath still connects Wander to life. Wander... If only she hadn't wandered here. No, I must push those thoughts out, it's not her fault- it's not anyone's fault. Thanguriel sits next to Ainion's body, crying. I want to go over to her, but I have to help Wander, if Ainion thought of her enough to give his life for her, then she must be special.

Thanguriel POV

It's been a few hours... My mother has been working to bring Wander back... she'll succeed, although I haven't told her that... any minute now... I look over at Wander. She starts to blink and breath more fully. My mother gives a sad, encouraging smile.

"Welcome back." She says. Wander sits up slowly, she looks dizzy. She looks at me and I see fear in her eyes. It _is_ my fault, if I hadn't told her then she wouldn't have run off, Ainion wouldn't have followed, and the Orcs would never have attacked. Wander looks at Ainion's lifeless body.

"Did- is he- He gave his life for me."

"Yes, he cared for you greatly." My mother says to her.

"I'm sorry. I should never have come this way." She blames herself... I wonder if my mother does as well.

The door opens... who is here? My father walks in.

"Da! You're home!"


	15. Sisterly Love

Eressëa POV

A man walks through the door.

"Da! You're home!" Thanguriel cries and launches herself into his arms. It is a happy moment, and yet sad, as he'll soon find out about... my gaze drifts to Ainion. I look back at Thanguriel and her father, I can't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Thanguriel has had the life I never had... until I came... Still, when I see her with her father it makes me sad, mine didn't even know I was to be when he was killed. I hear Thanguriel crying.

"Whatever is the matter?" Her father asks, he hasn't noticed me or Ainion's body yet. Saëleth walks over and hugs her husband, also crying. "What's wrong? Where's Ainion?" His eyes scan the room, spotting me first. "Who is that?" Then he spots Ainion. "No... is he- is he-"

He can't get the words out, he doesn't need to, everyone knows what the question is. Saëleth nods her head and cries into his shoulder. He walks over to Ainion, slowly. Thanguriel and Saëleth trail behind, Thanguriel holding his hand and Saëleth grabbing his arm. He sits down next to the couch where Ainion is laid. His face is stricken and he gently traces Ainion's face. A sob emits from him. I bow my head in respect for the grieving family.

"When and how did this happen?" He asks gravely. Saëleth gets past her tears to tell him.

"A f-few hours ago. Orcs at- attacked him and W-Wander." She says, her voice cracking. Her husband looks at me.

"Is this Wander?" He asks Saëleth, as if I'm not in the room. I guess I can't blame him, he lost his son. A feel a pang of sadness and I try to block it out. I will no longer feel emotions such as sadness. I trusted again and I was wrong.

"Yes." She says, looking at me sadly. The Elf- I have not yet gathered his name- looks to me and then back to his son. He places a kiss on Ainion's forehead and then hugs Thanguriel, comforting her. I have a fleeing wish to be included in the hug. But then I push it out, it's just another emotion to wear me down. Thanguriel's father stands up and looks back to me.

"I'm Thamben." He says. I nod.

"Ainion gave his life for me. He was a good man. I'm sorry..." I say, wishing there was more.

"Ainion was very protective of anyone he cared about." Thamben says, tears in his eyes. See, this is what emotions do to you, they just destroy you and wear you down. I just nod respectfully, I have to get out of here, and soon. I just need to stay away from people, get away before I destroy them. "Would you mind telling me how you met? I want to know the last days of my sons life."

I don't really want to, but I will...

I explain everything. When I'm finished his gaze goes back to Ainion. Thamben's face is a mixed pot of feelings, sadness, love, _anger_... Probably at me, if I had never come... If I had never come Ainion would never have died... if I had never come... _I_ would have died. Ainion saved me, if only I could have saved him. An ache in my heart makes itself present. I push it out, just another emotion to hurt me. Thamben and Saëleth whisper to each other in their native tongue. Once again a fear is struck in me, but I don't flee, look at what happened last time I was spooked. Just like a horse, I ran, I bucked of my rider, I killed him.

"I- I'm sorry for scaring you." Thanguriel says, suddenly beside me, when did she get there? "This- This is all my fault!" She gulps back tears.

"No, it's my fault." What? She wants to take the blame and you are taking it upon yourself? What kinda crazy are you? Thanguriel gets close, snuggling herself into my arms... She just needs some comfort. I hug her, I feel sorry for her.. and... she's almost like a sister... oh, shoot, an emotion. I let go.

"Thank you." She sniffs. I nod.

"Thanguriel." I say quietly. She looks at me, now I have her attention. "I- I have to go. I caused all of this, I need to go before I hurt someone else."

"N- no. You can't leave, Wander. I need you. You need to be my older sibling now." She says, desperate. I almost feel pity. _Almost_...


End file.
